Just like humans, fish have an optimal temperature zone. For salmon and steelhead, anything above around 70°F is too warm for comfort. Additionally, warmer waters tend to have less oxygen and when there is less oxygen in the water fish have to work harder to breathe. Adult salmon and steelhead do not feed once they have left the ocean for freshwater ecosystems, relying on their energy reserves from life at sea, but migration up a river or stream already takes a lot of energy! The added stress of expending more energy in warmer, lower oxygen environments can be detrimental to their health – and at times fatal. As climate change continues to elevate temperatures both in and out of the water, fish will increasingly be searching for cold water during their freshwater migration phase. If we can provide more opportunities for fish to find cold-water habitat, we can give these already imperiled species a chance at completing their lifecycle and surviving in a warmer world. Unlocking cold-water habitat above Iron Canyon is one such opportunity – and one that has been identified by agencies as critical for preventing extinction of Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon. Without this project, there will never be a recurring run of salmon in Big Chico Creek again.
In April 2023, the design phase of the Iron Canyon Fish Passage Project began. This project will use a design-build approach, meaning the engineers, environmental consultants, and construction managers will work together from project inception. Many restoration projects focus on the design of the project before then shifting to focus on the permitting and “build” aspect of the project, meaning that the processes are sequential and individuals involved in each process are disjointed from each other. A design-build approach allows for seamless transitions throughout project phases, getting restoration done more efficiently and effectively. Preliminary design for this project will be completed in spring 2024 with environmental permitting beginning shortly afterwards.
The purpose of the Iron Canyon Fish Passage Project is to alleviate a fish passage barrier created by large boulders and a high vertical drop to allow two federally listed salmonid species (spring-run Chinook salmon and steelhead trout) and other native fish species access to high-quality habitat upstream. In place of the current barrier, the project will create a nature-like fishway – a fish ladder made of boulders! This will be accomplished by modifying the current existing configuration of boulders in the creek to create a series of “steps” and resting pools that fish can navigate through. With the resting pools, fish will even be able to take a break halfway through if they need! In addition, dilapidated concrete and rebar fish ladder weirs that were constructed in 1956 but no longer serve a purpose will be removed from the creek, resulting in a natural stream channel.
A similar fish passage project was led by CalTrout and completed in 2021 in the neighboring Battle Creek watershed at Eagle Canyon, providing a successful model for this project. The photo below shows Battle Creek post-restoration.
The Ótakim Séwi Fish Passage Collaborative consisting of CalTrout, the Mechoopda Indian Tribe, Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve, and the City of Chico is offering outreach opportunities for the Chico community (and any other interested persons!) to learn about the restoration project and its many benefits throughout the end of this year and next year! This December, the outreach team will be in Upper Bidwell Park to answer any of your questions. You also may find us at farmer’s markets and other local events throughout 2024. In spring 2024, the team will host a community information session (date and location TBD). We are also starting a Big Chico Creek Fish Passage Newsletter for anyone interested in receiving more information about the project!
*This project is funded by NOAA Restoration Center’s Community-based Restoration Program.
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Peter Moyle is the Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology and Associate Director of the Center for Watershed Sciences, at UC Davis. He is author or co-author of more than 240 publications, including the definitive Inland Fishes of California (2002). He is co-author of the 2017 book, Floodplains: Processes and Management for Ecosystem Services. His research interests include conservation of aquatic species, habitats, and ecosystems, including salmon; ecology of fishes of the San Francisco Estuary; ecology of California stream fishes; impact of introduced aquatic organisms; and use of floodplains by fish.
Robert Lusardi is the California Trout/UC Davis Wild and Coldwater Fish Researcher focused on establishing the basis for long-term science specific to California Trout’s wild and coldwater fish initiatives. His work bridges the widening gap between academic science and applied conservation policy, ensuring that rapidly developing science informs conservation projects throughout California. Dr. Lusardi resides at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences and works closely with Dr. Peter Moyle on numerous projects to help inform California Trout conservation policy. His recent research interests include Coho salmon on the Shasta River, the ecology of volcanic spring-fed rivers, inland trout conservation and management, and policy implications of trap and haul programs for anadromous fishes in California.
Patrick Samuel is the Conservation Program Coordinator for California Trout, a position he has held for almost two years, where he coordinates special research projects for California Trout, including the State of the Salmonids report. Prior to joining CalTrout, he worked with the Fisheries Leadership & Sustainability Forum, a non-profit that supports the eight federal regional fishery management councils around the country. Patrick got his start in fisheries as an undergraduate intern with NOAA Fisheries Protected Resources Division in Sacramento, and in his first field job as a crew member of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife’s Wild and Heritage Trout Program.